Forensic expert calls for private parts database

A forensic expert wants police to create a national database of sex offenders’ privates in the fight against sex crimes.

Professor Dame Sue Black says suspects can be identified from explicit photos they put online or send to victims. She would like detectives to target websites and social media where they are known to upload photos of themselves while obscuring their face.

Prof Black – one of the world’s leading forensic anthropologists – said each penis has its own characteristics. She said when paedophiles photograph themselves abusing children, they often disguise or hide their faces, but other body parts that do come in to view could help to identify them.

While based at Dundee University, Prof Black asked RM Condor at Arbroath if Royal Marines would take part in setting up a prototype penis database to help their research, but the idea was rejected by the Ministry of Defence. Instead, she used a website where men had posted images of themselves.

Police Scotland said they had not considered Prof Black’s suggestion but were open to new ideas to fight crime.

Detective Inspector Andy McWilliam, of the Cybercrime Unit, said: “We work closely with experts in all fields and are always interested to hear of any advances in technology which may help catch any criminal.”